


Hometown

by loveyoumohr



Category: Homestuck
Genre: Arguing, Broken Families, Home, Other, eridan is there kinda, this went a different direction than i had expected
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-16
Updated: 2020-02-16
Packaged: 2021-02-28 02:22:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,072
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22746241
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/loveyoumohr/pseuds/loveyoumohr
Summary: His face softened, faint wrinkles writing a story of anxiety and sorrow across the canvas of his skin. It wouldn’t be much longer now, but he still had time. His eyes closed, and he allowed himself to sleep the remainder of the trip, waking at the sound of the horn blaring as the distance keeping him away from his family was drawing to a close.
Relationships: Cronus Ampora & Orphaner Dualscar
Kudos: 8





	Hometown

With a heavy sigh he glanced down at the termination notice in his hand. It had been taped to the back of his door when he woke, and he had all of two hours to gather his things and book a ferry back home from Essex. There was a bitterness in his mind as he was left to ponder about what was waiting for him back home, not at the possibilities, but at all of the years he was forced to miss. All of the birthdays, the holidays, the dreaded bad days at school and the cherished memories of spending nights in together. He had none of them. Seamus crumpled the paper, crushed it into a tight wad and let it drop beside him. 

The horn sounded as the ferry approached, and he pulled the handle of his luggage up to the docking station. He handed in his ticket through the hole in the glass, absently boarding when it was time. Drones of conversation filled the crowded seating area, but he was only tangentially aware of it. He couldn’t explain it. Didn’t know how to explain it, but he had a hope to join them. He hoped for one of these strangers to talk to him in false pleasantries, to ask him of his day (which really wasn’t good) or a simple hello (much better) but the scowl on his face and crossed arms must have deterred them. He spent the ride alone.

He hadn’t necessarily minded being alone. It gave him time to think, to reflect, to ponder. He thought of his sons, of Cronus and Eridan. The elder of which would have been nearly seventeen by now, and the other barely pushing thirteen. How would they think of him? How would they react to seeing him for the first time in what had to be years? Either way, he didn’t expect for it to be good. His face softened, faint wrinkles writing a story of anxiety and sorrow across the canvas of his skin. It wouldn’t be much longer now, but he still had time. His eyes closed, and he allowed himself to sleep the remainder of the trip, waking at the sound of the horn blaring as the distance keeping him away from his family was drawing to a close. 

His heart nearly skipped a beat as a wave of fear crashed over him. Fear that he wouldn’t be welcomed in his own home, fear that they’d hate him for being gone for so long. Breathe in, breathe out. He reminded himself, pursing his lips as he made his way towards the exit and starting the brusk walk towards the house, which wasn’t all that far away. Good. Right after left, almost there. He counted his steps, counted the time left before he could see his sons. He propped his luggage against the wall, running a hand through his hair before knocking gingerly at the door.

There was that anxiety again, but alongside it, hope. He had waited years for this moment. Years to see their faces again, years to be part of their life. The door unlocked. He held his breath.

When it opened, the boy that had answered it looked upon the newcomer with curious eyes, before those eyes filled with tears. Seamus pulled him into a tight hug, and Cronus cried into his shoulder. He couldn’t help but smile, couldn’t help that admit that losing his job, and thus potentially risking the financial stability that they had, was worth it. Absolutely worth it. For this moment, for this one simple embrace with his child, who wasn’t so much a child now, had been something far too delayed. Minutes went by before Cronus broke the hug, wiping his eyes and welcoming his father into the house

He would have been lying, had he said that he knew what to do. Had he said that there was anything that he could do that he knew would make it better. Seamus glanced around the room, taking in all of the little details. There were picture frames lining the mantle, displaying the boys’ accomplishments. It was better to see them, late in the future, then to have not seen them at all. 

“Where’s your brother?” He questioned, Cronus looked over his shoulder, before turning to in turn look once more at his father. 

“He’s uh, he’s not home.” Cronus answered, face falling momentarily. “He had some stuff after school. went out with a few friends.”

“And what about you? How come you’re home?”

“How come you weren’t.” He didn’t mean for it to be so cold, so direct. But the damage was done as soon as it left his mouth. Damage he could see across Seamus’s face and manifesting into a frown that dulled his eyes. “I mean- I mean, fuck. We’re all fuckin’ grown up an’- an’ you were never there an’... An’ I don’t even think that Eri remembers ya. Mom died, an’... An’ you were jus’, gone.”

“You think that I wanted ta be anywhere but with you boys?” Seamus questioned, hurt in his voice. “Cronus, I didn’t have a fuckin choice. I,”

“You what?”

“I did it to care for you. To make sure that you had enough t’, t’ ‘ave a good life.”

“I would’ve had a good life with you in it!” 

“I know, Cro, I know. I’m here for you, okay? I’m here now, and, I’m here to make things better.”

“So you fucking think that you can pick and choose to be in our lives? That being a fucking father is only a temporary job for you to fill? I’m sorry that your bigshot fuckin’ job was more satisfyin ‘ than putting up with being a good fucking dad. That, that you had to go across the fuckin ocean t’ be okay with yourself.” He sized him up, anger taking control of his emotions. Seamus stayed still, not speaking, barely even breathing. 

“I’m sorry that you feel that way,”

“Yeah well, I’m sorry that you’re here!” 

“You just want me to leave?”

“Seems to be how you solve all of your problems. What difference would it make?”

“That’s not fair.”

“Yeah well, toughen the fuck up.”

“Cronus, please.”

“And now you think that you’re entitled to ask things of me? Who even are you?”

Before he could answer, Seamus was cut off. The door opened with a creak, closing with equal alarm. “Dad?”


End file.
